12 Tips For Emotional Wellness Month

October is Emotional Wellness Month and it’s the perfect time to focus on your emotional wellness. With the holiday season just around the corner, now is the time to check in with yourself. Make sure that your emotional needs are being met. In the article “12 Tips For Emotional Wellness Month”. I’ll share twelve tips to support emotional wellness. 

Allow Yourself To Cry

When was the last time that you had a really good cry? There are times when we feel that we have to stuff down our feelings to be strong for our family. Before you know it you’re screaming at your kids on the way to school or having migraines from all the pent-up frustration.

If you’re like me, the last thing I want to do is to fall apart in front of anyone. Give yourself time to sit down and fall apart in privacy. My safe spot to cry is in an empty church. You might cry in your car, at a therapy session, over drinks with a girlfriend, and even in a locked bathroom. One of my friends is a single mom and her, safe place to get a break from her kids is in the back of her closet. 

Make Time To Reflect

Take a few moments each day to reflect on your day or focus on a happy thought. Spend 5-10 minutes processing your day and visualize how you could make the day better and use that planner to write down and prepare your to-do list for the next day.

Be Mindful

Focus and be present in every moment. This isn’t easy for everyone especially when half of your mind is thinking about what’s happening next. Take a deep breath and roll your shoulders back and notice what’s around you. Listen to the birds chirping, the wind blowing through your hair, or the feeling of your feet on the ground. If your brain is active and 

Get Quality Sleep

Are you getting enough sleep each night? Being sleep-deprived can make you grumpy, and anxious, and affect decision-making. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that healthy adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you’re having a tough time falling asleep that you read  (insert Sleep blog post link)

Reduce Stress

When a doctor suggests that you reduce your stress, I’m sure that countless women roll their eyes and sigh saying “You don’t know what my life is like”. However, the best way to reduce stress is to reduce the number of extra activities on your schedule.

If you’re on a board for a local non-profit, volunteer twice a week at a homeless shelter, and transport your kids to their extra-curricular activities in soccer, dance, and piano seven days a week. Then it’s time to thin out on your commitments. Being overly busy can have a determinantal effect on relationships with your spouse, connections with your friends and family, and losing sight of what really matters in life. 

Examine all areas of your life and see where you need more support and what you can eliminate from your life. Do you really need to be a room mom for your son’s class, or can you find another way to help? Can you delegate some of the tasks that you hate to do to someone else who enjoys cleaning, organizing, or coordinating?

Connect With Others

Having a network of friends or confidants to lean on and confide in is a critical support system that every woman needs. A safe space to be open and honest can help to relieve anxiety and stress. Joining a women’s group at church or a local support group can provide you with the support that you need if especially if you just moved to a new area and haven’t established a social group yet. 

Focus On Positivity 

Surround yourself with positivity! Turn off the news, and limit your time with negative people. Keep your focus on gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal and writing five things that you’re grateful for each day. 

Walk 20 Minutes A Day

Get up and move your body throughout the day. Take a brisk walk around the block or hit the gym. Walking is not only good for your body but promotes emotional and physical well-being.

Say No

One of the hardest words to say is no. Women tend to put others before themselves because it seems that it’s the right thing to do. Unfortunately, that leaves us last on the priority list. If you think someone will get mad at you because you said no? That’s not your problem to solve. Imagine the freedom you will have that can be spent on doing the things you enjoy. Your job is to find ways to find that inner unapologetic Queen that will say no without hesitation.

Spend More Time Doing What You Love

If you’re having an emotional time, then it’s time to focus on the things that you enjoy. Sometimes it’s hard to figure that out, especially if you are depressed or grieving the loss of a loved one. It’s a good idea to write down a list of the things that you love to do. It can be as simple as reading a book, paint

Laugh! 

Make a point to laugh at least once a day and notice how good you feel. Read a joke book, or comedy special or watch your favorite or surround yourself with people who love to laugh and smile.

Journal 

Writing your innermost thoughts in a journal can help release frustration and anxiety, and ease depression. A journal is a judgment-free zone where you write your truth. Try this exercise, find a journal prompt, and set a timer for five minutes. Write non-stop until the timer sounds and try not to sensor yourself or be too critical of your feelings, reactions, and misspelling.

There you have it! How do you plan to add more emotional wellness to your life? Leave a comment below with your favorite ways to nurture your emotional well-being. If you enjoyed this article, then you have to read Why You Need To Start Journaling.